A Wallflower's Secret Love
by akaisherry47
Summary: "I was so happy when I saw him at our school's soccer field that afternoon, but..." A 17-year old student at Teitan High teaches her younger sister how to write a love letter for a clueless detective boy, and shares her own bittersweet experience in falling for another clueless detective boy.


Disclaimer: I don't own Detective Conan, nor the song this story was based on.

Notes: OC-centric. This story features the OC versions of the two anonymous characters that starred in DC's ending video for Koi ni Koishite, sung by Mai Kuraki. While I'm quite fond of the song, the video really won me over for its uniqueness compared to the rest. I didn't leave much of a description for their appearances, so you might want to refer to some videos for that. I highly recommend, particularly for those who haven't seen it yet, to watch the video first before reading to better appreciate the perspective that motivated this story's creation. This fanfiction has no relation to Wallflower/Perfect Girl Evolution aside from the title and perhaps some minor details.

As far as the plot goes, it undoubtedly veered from the original concept I had in mind. I intended to make a songfic of sorts, but when I finally got underway, I felt like going the distance and writing a full-length story about the two characters (focusing primarily on the older girl), using the video, the lyrics and my initial concepts as building blocks for scenes. Had to get some factual DC bits from certain episodes and specials to get the smaller details, though I probably still missed a bunch.

This piece is purely experimental. Writing this was a real challenge for me since it marks the first time I'm not using any character I'm accustomed with, and for that matter, preset characters as the protagonist(s), but nonetheless, I enjoyed the experience of leaving my comfort zone. I just hope it came out decently.

* * *

"_Tadaima_," announces Hanae Ishihara, a second year student at Teitan High, somewhat mechanically as she steps within the threshold of their rustic, but congenial home – a two-story, Japanese-style wooden house, built just like its neighbors in a small residential block in west Beika, but not as shabby thanks to their beautiful backyard garden. For a moment, the shrill creaking of wood when she closed it gave her an unsettling feeling, like it would suddenly fall apart and crush her, and they'd be forced to move. She dreaded not the probable injuries she'd receive if and when that happens, but the idea of having to leave this place, where she had spent all seventeen years of her life. A refuge that holds too much memories and secrets, both fond and inimical, that she couldn't see herself living anywhere else permanently. Much to her relief, nothing happened.

While she undid her school shoes, she eyed the cabinet to see if her sister Haruna's favorite amber-colored dress shoes are present. Hanae always made it a point to look for her sister first before anything else, even though she doesn't have a history of going missing or running late from school so far. Hanae always used the shoes as an indicator, since Haruna wore them almost everywhere she goes as of late, saying that it matches perfectly with her natural hair color. It was a present from their mom when she got her first perfect score in an exam, similar in sentimental value to the dated pair of white doll shoes displayed on the other side of the shelf – formerly Hanae's. She found the said pair resting neatly on the spot where her little sister usually puts it.

Haruna never seems to go anywhere else after school or stays there longer except Wednesday, her designated cleaning day. On the upside, she gets more time to study – she's considered to be one of the brightest in their class, and seems to be developing a good sense of responsibility and punctuality. On the downside, it doesn't seem like she has any friends to keep her outside, or has taken interest in hobbies other than studying or reading at home. Somehow, the downside makes the upside seem destitute.

Hanae always worried about her sister being too timid, unable to cope with her classmates and make friends with them naturally. Sure, she talks to people and is actually very polite, but when people try to get to know her more, she kind of shrinks into a corner. Hanae first noticed that when she had to pick Haruna up from the day care center one time before she started schooling, when the kids who played with her through the day said goodbye to her and she just waved back reluctantly, which somehow discouraged the others. It would be bad once she reaches middle school, she thought, when children begin to shed away their cocoons of innocence en route to adolescence, and certain traits and habits become a whole lot harder to outgrow. By then, even good grades would make little difference to how others see and treat her. This, Hanae knows from experience; she probably set a really bad example to her little sister during those early years.

As per her daily routine, Hanae went straight for the kitchen to examine the contents of their fridge. Their mom, a 34 year-old _Ikebana_ instructor who married straight after high school and divorced before Haruna turned four, has evening classes to teach to go with her managerial post at a flower shop, leaving her in charge of making supper and buying ingredients at the shopping district in case they forgot to get it during their regular grocery shopping day or she wants to experiment with dishes. It wasn't really a full-time duty for Hanae until she entered high school, when their mother finally received some much-deserved recognition after making great strides with her craft in a short period of time while having to take care of two children all by herself, thus having more students to teach and more obligations to attend to like wedding ceremonies, special classes in big universities and even gigs at private gardens. Part of her success came from being easy on the eyes and her sob story though, but she never exploited either.

"Maybe I should ask Haruna what she likes," she asked her non-existent double, unsure of what to do with the salmon - the only meat stocked in the freezer

Venturing upstairs where she expected to see her sister, Hanae was somewhat stunned to see a crumpled piece of paper rolling across the hall, originating from Haruna's doorstep. Strange, since her sister's normally a very orderly child, much like herself and their mother. Drawn closer by this phenomenon, Hanae tiptoes toward the open door of her sister's room, and as she crouched down to pick up the trash lying in her way, she heard Haruna groan impatiently while crumpling another one up, dropping it to her side. Hanae's first instinct was to scold her, but the way the child was acting was so unusual, she figured that lenience is the best approach. When she finally reached the room, she found Haruna seated in front of her desk, her pigtails hanging on the side of her head like elegant tassels, channeling all her concentration towards a piece of paper laid before her while mumbling incoherent phrases, unmindful of both the clutter she had made and her sister's presence.

A lot of people say Haruna's like a carbon copy of Hanae. The same chestnut eyes, fair complexion, facial features that are a lovely mix of Caucasian and Oriental, the latter being the more prominent of the two; almost everything except the younger sibling's natural brown hair, which she inherited from their estranged German father as opposed to older sibling's faded black, reminiscent of their mother's. But if asked, Hanae will always say that Haruna is ten times cuter than she was, and that when she reaches her current age a decade from now, will be twenty times cuter. Unbeknownst to her, this was exactly how her mother described her when she was as young as Haruna.

Haruna clutched her pen once more, like she had come up with something good to write, but frets before the pen's tip could even reach the surface of the paper, probably second guessing herself now that its her sixth try, a number Hanae deduced after counting all the trash scattered across the tatami plus the one in her hands. For a while she observed what Haruna would do, but after a minute of frustrating idleness on the child's part, she decided it was time for some big sister meddling. "Mom will get mad if she finds all this trash lying around later, you know," Hanae speaks, leaning on the door's edge while playfully tossing the paper ball up and down her palms.

Caught by surprise, Haruna hurriedly leans over the piece of paper in front of her, covering it with her body while burying her face onto her little arms. "I-I'll clean it up before dinner!" she exclaimed, peeking over her shoulder carefully to see if that would be enough to make her older sister leave.

"Oh, okay. What is this anyway? Homework?"

The younger sibling nods curtly, eyes sunk down at the desk. "S-sort of."

"You must be having a hard time over there." Hanae was no Deduction Queen, but she has a pretty good hunch what this is all about. The paper's texture alone was a dead giveaway; it wasn't the average sheet of colored paper, but the kind of stuff sold at stationary sections in bookstores. Fragrant, thick, full of fancy details, just ten sheets of this could very well burn Haruna's lunch money for a single day, even though they hardly spend their daily allowance on food since either Hanae or their mother prepare delicious bentos in the morning. For a family still living in an old house, they were pretty well-off, in part because none of them have any lavish tastes whatsoever and have very manageable expenses. They weren't that wealthy though, and their mother always reminded them to remember their rough roots and not be wasteful, which is why Hanae finds it quite peculiar that her sister would just throw away expensive stationary notes like this. "Fine, I'll help you out. I'm in a good mood." Bearing a mischievous grin, Hanae began unfolding the sheet, slowly as though waiting for her sister to react.

Alarmed, Haruna jumped off her seat and rushed towards her sister. "Give that back!" she cried, almost jerking tears of embarrassment to go with her gushing face.

Now even more curious, Hanae exploited her height advantage and lifted the note as high as she could. "Now lets see... Dear Edogawa-kun," she begins to read teasingly it under the autumn sunset beaming through the open window. "You're as cool as a chilly October breeze. You-"

"Fine! I'll tell you! So please don't read it aloud anymore!" Haruna concedes, her expression completely shut by shyness. "A-and please don't laugh at me, okay?"

"Okay, okay." Hanae puts the note down, tousling her sister's hair reassuringly. Somehow, she felt a little sad now that her fun was over; she always thought that Haruna looks so adorable when she's mad. Its been a long time since she last saw her act that way, probably when they were still fighting over candy and their family was still complete. She had since developed this impregnable timid shell that isolates her from her peers, perhaps influenced by the rough patch they had endured, as well as the way Hanae dealt with that period. So it was very nice to see that childish spirit again. Now if only she could break that shell down so everyone could see that Haruna's no wind-up doll.

* * *

Haruna's room reflected her utterly reserved nature – a basic six-tatami room with only three pieces of furniture - a wooden desk with two drawers and a shelf space, an old, upholstered wooden chair, and a big but half-filled bookshelf lined mostly with picture books and children's stories, all situated along the window across the entrance, large enough for a fully-grown teenager to fit. The closet space is on the right, where her futon and clothes are kept. The only toy available in the room is Haruna's favorite pink teddy bear sitting on a vacant space in the shelf, a present from Hanae on her first birthday without a father. The siblings sat down near the bookshelf, the wooden structure casting a shadow big enough to swallow them both.

"So? Care to tell me what this letter's about?" Hanae started.

"Y-you... Y-you see," Haruna mumbles with her face cast down, "t-there's this... There's this boy, Edogawa-kun from Class B..."

"Class B? But you're from Class A, right?"

"I often see him at the library reading big books... A-and before or after classes."

"I see. So what's he like? This Edogawa-kun?"

"W-well, he... He's very smart, a lot smarter than everyone in his class and my class. H-he has glasses on but he looks cool in them. He's also good in P.E. and he's really popular in school. He's horrible in music though." At the last bit Haruna chuckled fondly, recalling the time she had a chance to listen to Class B's recital practice. This eased her up greatly. "Last week, I lost my pencil topper, the one you won at the shopping arcade and gave to me. I looked everywhere for it but I couldn't find it, so I asked this detective group Edogawa-kun's part of to help me out. Edogawa-kun found it at the library in just a few minutes after he asked me a couple of questions. I-I really wanted to thank him properly for finding it, but..."

"But?" Amused with the direction this admission's going, Hanae shifts to face her little sister, who was curled up and looking over her knees. "You're one of the top students in your class, aren't you? If he's also smart, you shouldn't have any problems talking to him."

"W-well... I-its just that he... H-he's always," the brown-haired child's tone became very skittish again, alerting her raven-headed sister that this upcoming revelation may very well be the root of all this. "Edogawa-kun's always with two girls!"

"Ohh... A player at an early age, eh..."

"No! He's not like that! I-its just that... They're too close to him all the time."

"Too close?" Hanae gave a perplexed look. "What kind of girls are they anyway?"

Haruna tries to recall those moments where she happened to see those two girls with the boy in question, for those were the only times she ever paid attention to either of them. "F-first, t-there's this girl who sits beside him and talks to him most of the time. She's really cool and smart like him, and she's very pretty too. I heard she's also a half like us. A lot of my schoolmates are scared to talk to her."

"Hmm," Hanae tries to draw a mental sketch. "she's the stuck-up, mysterious type, isn't she."

Haruna nods.

"It figures. Those types are really appealing to both guys and girls nowadays."

"B-but its the other one who really annoys me!" Haruna snaps at her, suddenly becoming violent.

"Oookay... Calm down." Hanae slowly waves her palms up and down, imploring her sister to adjust her breathing according to rhythm. Once she was calmer, they continued. "Now tell me. How does she annoy you?"

The normally-gentle little girl curls up again and clenches her fists frantically. "S-she... She keeps clinging to him and dragging him everywhere and making him eat the bento she she says she made! She even hugs his arm! A-and when I tried to talk to Edogawa-kun at the library, she was looking at me with angry eyes!"

"Now that's a very daring girl," Hanae thought. When she was Haruna's age, things were much simpler, meaning not a lot of body contact, invading personal space and the like. "So that's why you want to write him a letter instead, right? Because you're afraid of getting into trouble with that girl?"

"N-no! Why should I be afraid of her?! I'm taller than her!"

"Or are you just too shy to talk to Edogawa-kun personally?"

Haruna nods again, this time reluctant and sparingly, exhausted from the outburst of emotion just now.

"Hmm... If that's the case, I guess writing a letter is the way to go."

Minutes of silence ensued, the little Ishihara trying to recuperate from venting more emotion than she's used to, while the older one hoped that her sister wouldn't be too overwhelmed by this new experience unlike that girl she's trying to avoid. Kids these days, Hanae thought in disbelief, already talking about this sort of thing even though they still have milk teeth. Girls were a teeny bit more conservative during her time, and she really didn't care much about it until she was over ten. At a time when she couldn't possibly ask her mother for love advice. Haruna sure is lucky to have a big sister to turn to, and from the looks of it, she intends to make the best out of this blessing.

"...Neechan?" Haruna chips the ice beginning to build around them.

"Hm?"

"Have you...," the child takes a breath, then looks at her intently. "Have you ever fallen in love?"

"...Come again?"

"I said, have you ever fallen in love?" Haruna repeats, trying not to raise her voice just yet. The elder sibling heard her the first time alright, and just tried to buy some time so she could collect her thoughts accordingly for this delicate topic.

"I knew it would come down to this", was what ran through Hanae's mind as she combed her hair with her fingers. She had anticipated from the moment Haruna decided to confide to her that she would drop this bombshell. She even had answers at the ready, like most adults do. But now that its asked for real, they suddenly don't feel right. Answers like "yes, but it eventually passed just like all first loves and crushes do", or a flat out "no"... Stuff that only betrays the expectations of a child yearning for guidance, and could possibly invoke their rebellious curiosity. Now that the little one has brought it upon herself to overcome her shyness and go forward with it, who was she to chicken out in the face of the truth? "...Of course I did. I can't imagine anyone who didn't at least once."

"R-really?"

"Yup. Though I was already in middle school then, and things were very different." Things were indeed different then, the time Hanae felt the same way as her little sister did. Probably worse, since it coincided with the rough patch their family experienced. She couldn't have asked her mother this exact question then.

"Sooo what's he like?"

"Hmm... He was the ace of our varsity soccer team then. He's very good looking, comes from a really good family... And he's very intelligent too, and has this certain style whenever he's talking that would surely get you listening good. Like your Edogawa-kun, he's also crazy about those detectives. Funny, isn't it? Though I'd say mine's way cooler!" Hanae grinned teasingly at her sister, who has put up her cute defensive face again upon hearing the comparison. "But yep. He's the perfect guy, at least in my book, and probably some other girls' too. Though at first, I thought he was really annoying."

"Annoying? How come?" Haruna blinks curiously at her big sister, unable to find a connection between "a perfect guy" and "annoying".

To this, Hanae smirks wryly. "Its a long story," she tried to discourage her, but Haruna looked all the more stirred like someone who couldn't wait for a TV show to unravel after a precarious event. "I don't have a choice, now do I..."

Haruna shakes her head, her eager expression firm from the base up.

"Fine. I'm not much of a storyteller, but this is all true. Here goes..." Hanae takes a deep breath to put herself at ease. "It all began during my second year in middle school, somewhere around the first weeks of the second semester... I was probably in my darkest hour yet when I got to know him," the dark-haired Ishihara sibling started. Understanding that some of the details might be too sensitive for Haruna to hear about now, she made use of figurative language to get certain parts across.

* * *

During Hanae's transition from elementary to middle school, their parents' relationship had soured, and rumors about their squabbles circulated around the neighborhood, and eventually across Beika's residential districts, passing from nosy parents to their children, their children's teachers and so on. Facts were inevitably twisted, turned, stretched, exaggerated in many ways that even then-innocent Hanae, who had witnessed majority of those arguments and even consoled her mother several times, felt so confused as well, trying to understand why her parents were fighting in the first place when she should be enjoying the euphoria of adolescence.

Over the course of those trying years, she had to endure walking to school knowing that people are talking behind her back, and arriving in class knowing that her peers are doing exactly the same. And just when she thought things couldn't get any worse, it did when her mom finally filed for divorce at the family court, which was finally granted during the summer of her second year in middle school. With her mom having to join the work force, she had to step up and handle some of the homemaker load. She didn't have any problems with the arrangement, even developing a passion for cooking as a result, but what she couldn't handle was the gravity of having to start from zero while having to deal with criticisms coming from left to right.

Hanae felt like a total _gaijin_ then. The mixed ancestry that was once her hook in elementary had become nothing more than an excess chunk of metal that she would've thrown down Teimuzu River had it been tangible. Nobody wanted to have anything to do with a child of a _gaijin_ who married and impregnated a Japanese woman twice just for the citizenship, or the daughter of someone who flirted with a foreigner and thought she'd hit the jackpot, or any of the various exaggerations floating about that were just as painful to hear as the reality itself. On the other hand, she wanted no part of other people's business, believing that hers was already too much to bear. That none of her happy-go-lucky classmates would understand what it feels like to be in her shoes, and that everyone who would try to get close were just out to dredge those painful details out in order to spite her. So she pushed everyone away and hid behind her own stone fortress, believing that as long as she's within her own boundaries, everyone could say whatever the want about her situation. By doing this, she was able to go day after day focusing only on what she has to do both at home and at school. It wasn't such a bad thing, but it sure was depressing.

Then came the time when Hanae almost hit a classmate named Mouri who, after hearing about her family's misfortune, started nagging her by insisting on joining her for lunch, taking over her cleaning duties so she could go home early or walking home with her even though their houses were in different directions. There were a few who took pity on her and offered similar gestures, but for her, Mouri was the worst; that her concern is a sham, as with the rest of her personality. Her being the most pushy of all worsened the impression. "Shut up! Just leave me alone!" Hanae told her off when she finally had enough, slamming her palm on her desk's surface, causing her own bento to flop down, sullying her space with food that was hardly touched. Mouri still tried to placate her, provoking Hanae to swing her hand across the meddlesome girl's face. But she stopped at the last second. No, she wasn't afraid of taking on a Karate prodigy, but she worried about the possible suspension she'd get in doing so. Mouri didn't look like she was going to retaliate either and just braced herself nervously like a little girl who's about to get scolded or hit by her elders. In some way, Mouri made her feel like she was about to slap Haruna.

Agitated over Mouri's reaction and the awkward attention subsequently drawn towards her, she stormed out of the classroom, overhearing Suzuki tell her friend "give it up, Ran. She's not worth it" as soon as her back was turned. On the way out, she bumped into Kudou, who was holding a piece of melon bread sold at the school grounds during lunch. She glared at him then, obligating him to step aside and give way, unaware of the impact he'd bring to her life that would shake its foundations soon after.

Hanae decided to skip the next period, lounging around the school's soccer field, staring glumly at whatever comes to view. The hot, humid air made her feel sweaty and grimy, but it was better than being in class after what happened between her and Mouri. At the time, members of the varsity team were excused from their respective classes so they could prepare for their upcoming match. Almost everyone was so busy with working on their formation to notice her zoning out on her lonesome, her lids drooping disdainfully. Almost everyone, except one of the midfielders who subbed out early.

"Here," he called Hanae out, handing her a piece of melon bread. "Bought one extra for later, but you can have it."

"Go away, Kudou." She recognized his voice instantly even without looking back. Its easy to remember the voices of classmates who often get called up to recite. "If you're just gonna pity me like everyone else, don't. Save it for someone who actually needs it," she bitterly declined.

Kudou grunts, already expecting that kind of response. "Well, I just thought you might pass out due to hunger after what happened to the bento you made. Our practice would definitely get delayed if that happens."

"W-wait! How did you-?!" She turns to him curtly, surprised that he guessed it right even if she never told anybody that she makes her own lunch.

"It is my business to know what other people don't know."

"And who gave you that right?!"

"Ah, no. I was just quoting the great Sherlock Holmes. He said that in _The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle_," he clarified facetiously, scratching the top of his head.

"Oh, right. You're the detective geek after all... So? How did you find out?" she asked, though sounding uninterested. She took the melon bread though; if he was right about another thing, it was that she's awfully hungry, missing out on both breakfast and lunch.

"I noticed that you have small cuts on the tips of your left thumb, index and middle fingers, but not on the other two. Taking into consideration the fact that you're right-handed and the shape of your wounds, you must have cut it while you were slicing something small, most likely a regular-sized potato, which was unmistakably on your meal for today." He made specific gestures with his hands, trying to reenact how she incurred the injury.

Flustered, Hanae clutched her left hand defensively. She did cut them last night when she was preparing ingredients for the bento, but figured that they were too small to bother patching up so she just left it to bleed until it stopped in the morning. "I-I could've gotten this from touching something sharp, like mirror edges or something.."

"I considered that too. That is, until I saw the vertical mark on your right thumb that extends toward a hairline crack in your nail, which can only come from adding extra pressure on the back of a blade as thin as a standard kitchen slicer. And if my guess is correct," he takes her sweaty right hand and traces certain lines on it that even Hanae, to her surprise, failed to notice beforehand. "your palm would have marks obtained from gripping knife handles."

A lot of girls on their batch rave about Kudou's detection skills, but she never really cared about him and took him as just another show-off because he's the spoiled son of a prolific mystery writer. But now that she got to hear his deductions firsthand, even becoming the subject of it, she had to admit that she was floored. He definitely lives up to his hype, to say the least.

"...Fine. You win. I'll listen to what you have to say." She retracts her hand from him rashly, still a bit bitter with her apparent defeat.

"First of all, eat up. Don't worry, I'll explain the situation to the captain and the manager, see if they'd agree to let you help her out so you can be excused from class too."

She tried to eat the melon bread as fast as she could, not of hunger as much as trying not to get caught eating in case a vacant teacher snoops around the grounds. While she ate, Kudou fetched her a fresh bottle of mineral water from their clubroom and had sorted things out with the manager regarding Hanae. The team was on break then. "Before anything else, I just want to ask," she chugs down half the bottle's contents as soon as she receives it, "why didn't you just say that I cook my own bento because my mother has to go to work?"

"Oh... I only heard about your family's status from Sonoko after you left." Kudou sits beside her as he stpoke. "You see, I not that interested with rumors unless it has something to do with motives for crime. Besides, even if I used that, it would only be circumstantial."

"Hmm... That makes sense."

"Now, can I ask you a question?"

"As long as its not too personal or a vulgar one, fine."

"Nope. Its just something that's been bugging me ever since I heard about your situation..."

"And what is that?"

"Didn't you know that Ran's parents have been separated since second grade?"

"...No..." That question came as a big surprise for her. But how could she have known about it? She was never close to Mouri, nor with anybody for that matter, and they didn't share the same class until fourth grade. She didn't know what else to say about the revelation other than acknowledging her own ignorance.

"That explains it perfectly," Kudou exclaims with enthusiasm, like he just discovered the hidden connection between evidences, or in this case, the lack of connection between the two girls. "Look, I'm not gonna ask you to apologize to her, but I just wanted you to know that Ran didn't mean to pick on you by trying to reach out. Moreover, she understands your situation better than anyone else in our class, including me."

"Honestly, this is the first time I heard about this. I mean, she always seems so energetic and carefree, like she has no problems at all..."

"You wouldn't believe how many times she tried to set her parents up so they'd reconcile, and how many times she cried just because they still refused to talk to each other." Kudou couldn't help snickering upon recalling some of the stupid tricks Ran pulled just to get her folks back together of which he had been an eventually-willing accomplice. But once he had sent his message, his earnest detective face came on. "I understand how tough it must be for you right now, and I'm not really in the position to tell you what to do, but if you keep distancing yourself because of this misfortune, it will only define you even more."

Hearing Kudou's words only doubled up the guilt she felt when she heard about Mouri's parents. Hanae finally understood why Mouri was more than willing to endure everything she had been dishing out on her the whole week, and why she could keep that happy face up even though her family's also broken. "I... I pushed her away without knowing anything at all... What have I done?" Hanae sinks her face deep in her palms in shame. She nearly wanted to burst into tears. "...She probably hates me too now."

"Don't worry, Ran's not that type of person." Kudou pats her adjacent shoulder encouragingly. "Knowing her, she's most likely blaming herself right about now, and would probably try to make it up to you as soon as things become calmer." Thanks to that, her guilt-worn face was suddenly glamoured up by a pink tint.

She overheard one of Kudou's teammates telling him that they're about to continue their drills, but Kudou said he'd rest for a while longer, choosing to stay with her until she felt okay enough. "...Thanks, Kudou," she tells him meekly, embarrassed that she had kept him longer than expected.

"No sweat. Anyway, you should go report to the manager now if we're going to make this charade work."

The next day, Hanae got to class in a chart-topping mood. On top of being well-rested and enlightened, her outlook was so much brighter than it had been for the last couple of years that people actually took a gander at her without those reproachful eyes and snide comments. Nobody seemed to mind her surprisingly pleasant vibe except for Suzuki, who still looked at her inauspiciously, the memory of her confrontation with her best friend still fresh in her head. Come lunch time however, the spotlight was again shined down her when someone approached her, the prospect of another dramatic scene engrossing the whole class with tension. To their disappointment, nothing happened. This time, it was Kudou who confidently took the initiative.

"Oi, Ishihara. Feeling better?"

"Yes. I actually feel like a lot of weight was taken off my shoulders. Thanks again for yesterday, Kudou-kun." She was feeling so great that day that she didn't forget to include the honorific.

"Don't mention it." He smiled at her.

"Sooo... What's up? I don't suppose you went out of your way just to say hi."

As it turns out, he was just testing the waters for someone. "Actually, there's another person who wants to talk to you." He steps aside and reveals his childhood friend, Mouri, who had been standing behind him all this time, carefully holding a box wrapped in a pink cloth adorned with flowers. She hesitated at first, but after a rather impatient nudge from the self-proclaimed detective, she finally pushes through with what she had been dying to say since yesterday.

"Um, Ishihara-san... I just want to say sorry for what happened yesterday, and for bothering you these past few days. I really didn't mean to offend you in any way, but I still went out of line," Mouri apologizes, trying her best to keep her face straight even though she felt too ashamed to look Hanae straight in the eye.

She seemed far too compassionate to be the tough-as-nails Karate girl a lot of people take her for, thought Hanae, unable to deny the fact that she envied Mouri for being able to cope with her parents' situation the way she does. She wanted to apologize too for not knowing about Mouri's case sooner, but thought better of it, realizing that she would only be doing the same thing she didn't want other people to do to her. Contemplating, she searched Kudou for hints, but he just nodded at her, confident that she'd do what's best, before leaving the two girls to sort the rest out on their own.

Deciding to stick with what sat well with her gut at the time, Hanae stands up to face Mouri. "Let's just forget it ever happened and start fresh. That okay?"

Mouri nodded gratefully and smiled, her mood brightening up as well. "Anyway, please accept this." She insists on giving her the bento. "It was my fault you weren't able to enjoy your meal yesterday, so I tried to make the exact same dish. I'm not sure how you make potato salad, so I used my own recipe. I added some fried chicken in teriyaki sauce too. I hope you like it just the same."

"If there's chicken in it, I'm sure I'd like it, Mouri-san," Hanae said as she accepted the bento, half joking, half serious. At the time, any kind of meat was a luxury for her and her family.

"Please, you can call me Ran," she smiles heartily, as if relieved of a parcel loaded with tenderness, both literally and figuratively.

"Oookay, Ran-san," she replied, somewhat reluctant. "Y-you can call me Hanae then."

"And if its not too much, I really hope you can finally join us for lunch this time. Everyone's been looking forward to taking to you for some time now."

Hanae wanted to say no out of sheer embarrassment, but realized soon enough that by accepting the bento, she had already said yes.

"Hurry up, you two! I'm starving already!" Kudou exclaims grumpily towards them, or more specifically at Mouri. It is a well-known fact in campus that Kudou, as cool as he carries himself during his inferences, acts more casually when with his childhood friend.

"Give us a minute more, Shinichi!" Ran yelled back. Apparently, he and some of the boys had already clustered eleven desks up to form one big table, and some of the girls have already taken their spots including Suzuki, who seems to have become more amicable when she accepted Ran's apology. They were just waiting for Hanae to bring hers over to complete the puzzle. "So, Hanae-chan?"

"Like I have any other choice," she smiled back wryly.

It was the best lunch Hanae's ever had in two years. Scratch that, it was her best lunch yet. For the first time, she really felt like she actually belongs inside a circle comprised of people who care, the joys of school life as they idiomatically say. She shouldn't have generalized her classmates all along, for the ones who surrounded her took her situation far more maturely than she expected. Everyone was genuinely interested in how she and her sister are coping that nobody asked why her parents divorced anyway. And when she answered truthfully, those who also take care of little siblings shared some of their fond stories to lighten things, imploring her to tell hers as well. The topic eventually shifted to Ran and Shinichi when the detective, while his long-time friend was engrossed at everyone's tales, declared that it was his chance and stole some meat off her bento.

"Why did you do that?!" Ran asks, pouting mad.

"I thought you weren't going to eat it."

"But I was saving it for last! "Fine!" Ran grabbed a fresh meat bun Shinichi had set aside for later and helped herself with it.

"Oi! I was saving that for later!"

"Serves you right!"

"And so the husband and the wife argues yet again," Suzuki comments from the side, snickering. This sparked a barrage of cheers and jeers directed towards Ran and Shinichi. Soon enough, everyone was having a good time.

Although her classmates seem to accept this as a common scene, Hanae zeroed in on Shinichi. For her, this all wouldn't have been possible had he ignored her yesterday and just focused on their drills, and this would likely be a debt she won't be able to pay ever. But, as she observed the way he acts naturally when he's with his friends, she found herself getting drawn deeply to him. She first caught a glimpse of this side of him yesterday in the soccer field when he was directing plays, but she was too preoccupied with the chores the manager had tasked her with in the clubroom to get a closer look, but now that he's dining with her, Hanae was mesmerized with the way he sparkled while he and Mouri were brushing their friends' remarks off, like she had finally seen the real gem lying underneath the rubble she's been ignoring all this time. "I didn't realize he's this cute," Hanae thought, her cheeks secretly gushing.

* * *

It was definitely a big adjustment for Hanae, living life outside her barriers after years of being comfortable and confident behind it. While she never got any closer to Ran after that, she established a bond with some of the girls who joined her for lunch then, particularly the ones who have brothers and sisters to look after while their parents are at work. A bond that remains strong to this very day. Though it didn't start smoothly. She had a really tough time talking to them at first, at least without having to bring up their siblings, which was practically the only thing she had in common with them. Too distracted with her problems for years, she was way behind the trends and didn't know much about celebrities or have any pastimes other than reading some romance paperbacks that she gets in bundles at a secondhand store on the way home, but when she finally admitted it to her friends, they were more than generous to walk her through a crash course about glam bands, actors, fashion trends and everything else in between. In no time, she was as hooked as most people her age are.

The situation at home have improved as well. Her mother found a job at a flower shop just days after the incident with Ran and, after impressing her boss with her innate gift of artistically arranging flowers (which had become dormant when she got married), was referred to an _Ikebana_ seminar a couple of weeks later, which would later lead to her finding that instructor job among other successes. This would pave the way for their family years later, though when her mom told them about getting hired, they celebrated like they just won a vacation trip at a lottery.

But if there is one thing that made all this fortune that much sweeter, its that her ties with Shinichi didn't end with that lunch. They never hung out after class nor had a more private lunch, but they often talked casually in between classes and whenever the team's manager asks her to help out in the clubroom. With her affiliation to team, she even got invited to watch from the bench during some games, where she found herself all the more attracted to Shinichi after seeing his brilliance in the sport, as well as his calmness in the face of adversity, psyching his teammates out in huddles and timeout which often leads to strong comebacks. She was also curious about his exploits as a detective, often times asking her classmates if they've seen his deduction shows before. "You have a crush on him, don't you" her friend once asked flatly, to which she replied "why would I be interested in him? I'm just curious since everyone talks about it". Her friend believed every word of her excuse, but nonetheless warned her of the grueling competition she's about to face if she does go for a guy as perfect as he is, as well as the rumor spreading about him liking Asami-senpai, the soccer team's previous manager who had already graduated from middle school.

Her line of thinking influenced by that conversation, she began seeing Shinichi in a different light. They still talked, but she could no longer keep a straight face or jump start a conversation like she used to. It came to a point where her mind becomes blank whenever she hears his voice, leaving him rather perplexed with the way she's acting though he'd later assume that she's tired from the chores at home and the club even though she wasn't a full-time member and tell her to rest. Oh, how she regretted looking like a fool in front of him and wasting those precious opportunities that other girls would kill for.

As days go by, Hanae's desire to once again see the detective's genuine side grew deeper, and each time she remembers the look on his face that fateful noon, her heart just wants to explode. It was the first time she felt something like this, and she didn't know what to make of it. An exaggerated feeling of gratitude, perhaps? Sure, but somehow it didn't feel sufficient. Infatuation? Maybe, since she does experience some of the symptoms listed in a magazine article she had come across when she was taking out some old issues for disposal. But having those symptoms doesn't necessarily prove that. It was a painful thought to ponder, especially when she has nobody to confide to about it. She felt too embarrassed to tell her friends about it, and she definitely had no intention of telling her mother about it. It was a puzzle she had to solve on her own.

Finally, in November, she finally admitted to herself that she did like him after all. And the only way she could relieve her heart of this feeling was to to come clean with it. But what would happen to their friendship if she tried to take that next step? Would it go out the window? If he rejects her, would she go back to that pitiful state he had saved her from? What if he does accept her feelings? Is she just being too hasty with things? There were so many questions running around her head like a riot at a time sale, doubts that can only be answered by taking the chance. However, she lacked the courage and the resolve to confront him right away. So she made a deal with herself; that if she still felt the same way towards him come February the next year, more specifically Valentine's season, she'd confess. No excuses. If she couldn't do it then, she'll just keep it to herself and wouldn't do a thing about it no matter how much she regrets it later on.

Christmas season was a struggle for her, giving her all sorts of suggestions both good and bad, possible and impossible. So many ideas arguing against each other that she nearly went insane, especially during vacation period. The New Year was a lot more reassuring to her cause, particularly when she went to the temple to pray and draw _omikuji_. "You will find the love you want when you finally see the truth, so don't be afraid to face it" was what her middle blessing told her regarding the matter. By the time February arrived, Hanae, upon reaffirming that her feelings didn't change at all, was ready for the final confrontation - mentally, emotionally, even spiritually thanks to a strip of paper she had since kept inside her wallet for luck. At least she wanted to believe she was; she has to be if she's ever going to take this chance. All that's left was to create an opportunity to say it.

Setting the appointment was easier if done indirectly; she probably would have died of heart attack before she could start to speak if she tried to do it in person. In a simple stationary (the most expensive one she could afford), she wrote Shinichi a letter asking to meet up at the soccer field after school, stressing that there's something important that she must tell him, alone. It took her about ten tries before she finally came up with words that spoke her purpose straight up, realizing that she made most of those mistakes in an attempt to tell him what she feels on paper, in a flowery way no less. She couldn't find the strength to sign the letter though, leaving it to him to guess who the sender is.

Deciding when she'd give it to him was a lot trickier. The fourteenth was definitely a no-go, so she narrowed her options down to the days that precede it. With thirteen days to choose from, she needed one where he's sure to be available, so instead of gambling on a specific date, she tucked the note inside her schoolbag so she could give it to him as soon as she finds her best chance. That finally arrived on the seventh, Friday, when Ran turned down Shinichi's invitation to drop by some bookstore after school due to an earlier appointment of some sort, right before class even started. It was debatable whether Hanae just overheard it coincidentally or if she purposely eavesdropped on their conversations in bated breath.

Sneaking during lunch, Hanae puts the note inside his shoe locker, laying it on top of his shoes to make sure he would notice it. She then spent the afternoon classes mentally rehearsing her lines so that she wouldn't space out again. Fortunately she wasn't called to recite that day, otherwise she would have blurted it out accidentally, committing social suicide there and then. When the bell finally rung, the once-dispirited girl rushed zealously out of the classroom and into the restroom to retouch. She wasn't very confident with her chances, but she wanted to look the part, at least. A bunch of her classmates and neighbors have complimented her looks before, particularly when she took off that squeamish veil and allowed herself to bloom, but that gave her little assurance if any. After twenty minutes of freshening up in the tap, Hanae returned to the classroom and found out from the cleaners that Ran had already left with her best friend, just after she did. As for Shinichi, she was told by a classmate who took out the garbage that he's still within the grounds.

Walking along the school's soccer field under the orange afternoon sky, she wondered what she'd do if Shinichi didn't show up in time. How long should she wait? Ten minutes? Twenty? An hour? Should she even wait at all? Or would it a lot easier to accept defeat if she just left right away? But more importantly, is he even coming? She didn't want get her hopes up too high either, or worse, jinx it by expecting things to turn out ideally. But then she remembered what her charm said, to not be afraid of the truth if she wanted to find the love she wanted. Taking a deep breath, she committed this thought to heart, telling herself that it is now or never, otherwise she wouldn't be able to move on from it. And so she kept walking towards her fate, running her fingers across the mesh gate to keep her senses alive in the moment.

As she was nearing the goal however, Hanae stopped, hearing the sound of a soccer ball getting kicked. A sound she had become acquainted with. She couldn't believe what her eyes just saw. There he was, Shinichi Kudou, clad in his workout soccer jersey, surrounded only by a bunch of soccer balls waiting to be kicked. Judging from the sweat he has worked up and the dirt that covered him and his nervous expression, he must have been here for a while now, distracting himself by working on his penalty kick. The way he moved seemed too aggressive for a normal practice, as if implying that he's pondering about something too difficult even for a detective as smart as he is. For instance, a matter of the heart. "Was he waiting for me all this time? Does this mean he's going to reciprocate my feelings?" Hanae asked herself as she watched him gleefully while clutching on the netting with both hands, trying to hold on to something solid to convince herself that what she's seeing is true.

But just when she thought a hat trick was within grasp, a white towel is thrown over Shinichi's head as he tried to catch his breath, decisively warding off her attempt like a seasoned goalkeeper.

"Ran," Shinichi starts with astonishment.

"You've got dirt on your face." She points on her own face the specific area.

"Oh..." He hurriedly wipes his face with the towel. "Thanks."

Ran responds with a cheerful grunt.

"So... What happened to Sonoko?"

"She said something came up and cancelled."

"Ha! I bet she just heard one of our good-looking senpais are available after school." He kicks another ball towards the goal, this time with more strength and precision; a competitive type of kick.

"Say... Are you still going to that bookstore you mentioned this morning?"

"Yeah. I was just about to leave when you came by. Hmm..." Shinichi cups his chin with his fingers, as if analyzing Ran's words and actions. "Something tells me you want to come with me now."

"...If its alright with you..."

"Fine, fine. You can still tag along, but only because you look like you were about to cry."

"Says you! You look like a mess without me looking after you!"

Completely crushed by the magnitude of her competition, Hanae turned away and slanted her back against the mesh wall, making so feeble a sound, it didn't even distract the two from each other even for a stolen moment. Things finally start to make sense to her, dawning to her like the blazing sun in a July noon, why Shinichi went out of his way to smooth things out between her and Ran, to the reason why he seemed so down just now. Most of all, she now realized why she only saw that glimmering look on his face that day over lunch, and why she never sees it when he's with his teammates, friends or with other girls, including her.

"...Maybe this isn't for me..." Hanae muttered sullenly, her efforts these past months put in vain in mere seconds. She wanted to cry so badly, but somehow, she couldn't. She didn't feel devastated enough. Even she was amazed at how well she was holding up. Perhaps she already saw her impending failure from the start and just didn't want to give up without trying. No, it wasn't that. It seems Hanae was only confused with her own feelings all along, worsened by all those articles she resorted to. Sighing heavily, she looked at them again to confirm her hunch. At the time, they were collecting the soccer balls for safe keeping. Even in such a trivial task, they seemed like they were happy as though they were in a park, talking, joking, laughing like they were the only two people that existed in this world. This time, her eyes were directed towards the girl and not the guy she hoped to confess to, another sign that she has gotten over that idea of infatuation. Ran always came across to her as an overly optimistic person, but right now she seems so happy, her heartwarming aura could be sensed meters away. The way she looked, you can never tell her parents are separated unless you heard of it beforehand. It occurred to her that maybe she hated Ran more than any other person who tried to get close was because Ran represented everything that she wanted to be but couldn't, and that the heavens must have willed Shinichi to bring them to an understanding, make her realize that it was she who failed to understand everyone and not the other way around. And yet, she took his kindness the wrong way. Hanae still envied Ran though. Not for the prize she had won, but for the kind of love she feels and receives. She wanted to feel that kind of love too, one that could drown away all the sorrow no matter how dire it is. But what else can she do about it? Feel sorry for her misfortune, or just be happy for her? The choice was a no-brainer. Bidding them a parting smile wishing them well, Hanae left the soccer field and headed for the shoe lockers to take her note back.

She wasn't surprised to see her letter's seal still intact when she found it in his locker, stacked with other fancy envelopes that probably contain the same sort of words as hers, most likely placed after she did. She should've considered the possibility that he'd ignore her letter like everyone else's; any guy who gets dozens of fanmails every single day would stop sifting through all of them at some point. Accepting her blunder, and defeat altogether, she slides the note back in her bag and went, confident that this wasn't her last chance at love, promising herself that the next time she feels love, the kind of love she truly wants, she'd try even harder and be more prepared.

* * *

"Sooo you two didn't live happily ever after?" Haruna asks, so bluntly innocent it almost came across as a rhetorical question.

Hanae grins sheepishly for disappointing her sister with a tragic ending. "Nope. We didn't."

The little girl frowns. "Does that mean paper fortunes don't work?"

"It depends on whether you'd believe it or not. But if you ask me, mine worked just fine."

"Huh? But you said you didn't live happily ever after even though you saw him."

"The _omikuji_ said I'd find the kind love that I want. Not the person I love. Paper fortunes tend to be more direct about that sort of thing."

"The kind of love? I don't get it."

Hanae tilts her head, trying to compose a child-friendly answer. "There are different types of love. Take you and me for example. You love me because I'm your sister and we live together, but if I wasn't your sister, you probably won't love me as much." Sensing that Haruna still couldn't quite grasp it, she elaborated more. "A lot of people love for various reasons. Some do because they feel too grateful for the kindness that special person showed them, like I did, or because they get along well due to their similarities and differences. There are also people who fall in love for lighter reasons like good looks or certain qualities. What I want is love that needs no reason to feel so. In other words, unconditional love. Its usually the kind that doesn't break easily no matter how many problems, critics or distractions you and your special someone face. At least that's what I want to believe in..."

"Did Mom have a reason to love Dad too?" Haruna asks after a minute of silence. She could follow the explanation, albeit slowly.

"Maybe..." Again they fell silent, but for a prolonged period. Neither of them wanted to delve into the matter with their parents. Its not very relevant to the topic at hand anyway.

"Nee-chan?" Haruna starts again.

"Yes?"

"Do you still love him?"

"Hmm... I suppose I still do. I learned a lot from him after all. But if anything, its just a huge crush now, which I don't really feel like telling anyone, except you of course. Its likely gonna fade as soon as I find a boyfriend, if I'll ever find one."

"Crush? Isn't that the same as love?"

"Not exactly. It means you like someone for a reason or two. Its a kind of love too, but its not a serious kind. We usually feel that towards people we don't really know personally, like people we see on TV or magazines."

Haruna nods as soon as she was sure she understood what her sister meant. However, she was vexed by a problem that rose as soon as the dust cleared. "Now I don't know what to say to Edogawa-kun."

Hanae sighs, well aware that Haruna's starting to over-think her feelings thanks to her. Now its her responsibility to make sure her sister doesn't end up like her. "Then answer me honestly." She moves in front of the brown-haired girl as she asks, meeting her eye to eye. "What do you want to tell him?"

"I..." She tried not to waver as she returned her older sister's gaze. A subtle blush was evident in her cheeks. "I really want to thank him for finding my pencil topper."

"Would you regret telling him that?"

Haruna shakes her head.

"Do you think you're gonna get in trouble with that other girl by saying that?"

She shakes her head again.

"Then you should just write him a nice 'thank you'. Don't beat around the bush and just say what you want to say."

"Really? Will that work?" She blinks curiously.

Hanae smirks reassuringly. "Guys are generally dense. I know. I showed the smartest guy in the world all the signs that meant I liked him, and he still didn't have a clue." Hearing her own words, the raven-haired one wondered if things would've been a lot different had someone asked her the same set of questions during her troubled times, how much of a relief it would've been had she come to terms with what she really felt earlier. Then again, she probably wouldn't be here trying to guide her sister had she evaded the experience.

"Okay. I'll write that in my letter now." Haruna said after pondering about it for a few seconds, her eyes finally resolved.

"No problem." On instinct, Hanae referred to her phone for the time. It was evening already, about an hour and a half passed since she confronted her sister about the trash. She then remembered the chore she left hanging. "Now then, time to make dinner. Speaking of which, I'm cooking salmon today. What do you want me to do with it?"

"Hmmm... Teriyaki-style!"

"Teriyaki-style it is." Hanae stretches her cramped legs and shoulders out, gets up and turns the light on. "Remember to clean this up when you're finished, okay?" She gets an emphatic nod for an answer. Just as she was about to leave however, Haruna stops her in her tracks, hugging her slender waist dearly.

"Even if you weren't my sister, I'll still love you just the same," she said, her voice a little shaky, as though wanting to sob.

"Now that's what you call unconditional love." Hanae pats Haruna's head, deeply touched by her innocent words

"T-that guy you like, he's not very bright if he never noticed you!"

"Now, now... We shouldn't blame people if they like some things over others. For instance, maybe he just likes orchids more than any other flower. You know... To each his own?"

Haruna pouts, tightening the grip on her sister. "He missed out on a lot! A whole lot!"

"Errr... That's spreading it too thick." Hanae scratches her cheek with her index finger diffidently. "Anyway, will you please let me go now? You'll starve to death if you don't. Can't say the same for me though."

* * *

"Hana-chan... Hana-chan... Class is over..."

Hanae was roused by a sudden thud: her forehead crashing down her desk. "Oww...," she groaned hoarsely, trying to shake off the grogginess from the impact and from sleeping. She couldn't remember how long she had slept in class, nor the exact moment she did. "...What gives...?"

"Class is over ten minutes ago and we're already finished cleaning," informed Miho, a friend since middle school, who noticed that she hadn't budged from her sleeping pose, cheeks sunk on both palms, for the last three periods. Fortunately, those three turned out to be self-study periods for the most part.

"...Is that so..." Hanae fixes herself up, wiping the sweat and other traces of hibernation off her face with a handkerchief, then combing her hair with her fingers.

"Stayed up late?"

"...Sort of..." She couldn't sleep last night, worrying about what would happen to her sister's first love letter, perhaps even more than the sender herself. Even when she got to school, she couldn't keep her curiosity still, too anxious to hear from Haruna that she couldn't really concentrate in class. She even mailed her during lunch, pushing for in-depth updates, but the little one promised she'd wait for her sister after her classes to give her the full story. As soon as her senses were back in gear, Hanae hustles to get her stuff, reminded of an urgent appointment she's already late for. "Look, I gotta go. Lets talk later, okay?"

"Sure, but you better get some sleep first," says her friend as she bolts out of the room.

Rushing out of the campus building, Hanae was torn between being excited about the outcome and being worried about her sister visiting her school - the latter driven by instinct. Anybody who has a younger sister would sympathize with her overreaction, especially if they have a sister like hers who couldn't even look straight at people's faces without trying so hard. She did tell Haruna not to wait for her and just head straight home, but its not unlikely that she would still go if things turn out good enough. Heck, she'd probably end up doing the same if she were in Haruna's amber shoes.

She was so relieved to hear Haruna's joyous "Neechan", finding the little one outside the gate, waving at her. Beside her was a boy about as old as she is, wearing thick-rimmed specs, a red-on-cream sports jacket over a white polo, denim pants and a pair of sneakers, looking over her direction. It was the first time Hanae saw her with someone her age ever since their mom stopped sending her to the daycare, and a boy no less. Still, she refused to give it any color and proceeds normally, expecting positive news. Haruna rushes to meet her sister halfway, leaving the boy behind. "So, did it go well?" Hanae instantly asks.

Haruna nods firmly.

"And what of your rival?"

"Totally defeated!" The brown-haired girl imitates her schoolmate's pouting face when the term "love letter" was spread amongst the recipient's group. She was the only one who looked distressed then; the fat one and the freckled one joshed at the then-fazed Edogawa while the snobbish girl observed their mixed reactions with amusement. Hanae felt relieved and happy at the same time, not because her sister managed to overcome her greatest trial of courage yet, but because of Haruna's blitheness as she told her tale. It wasn't so big an achievement, but still an achievement that would only benefit her sister's outlook moving forward. Just as Haruna completes her short narrative, the boy finally catches up to her in his pace, his eyes trained curiously at Hanae. "Neechan, this is Conan Edogawa-kun, the boy who helped me find my pencil topper," she introduced. "We ran into each other when I came here."

"Hello," Conan greets civilly. At the back of his mind, he was saying "_Its been a while, Ishihara_".

Hanae leans down and gratefully returns the gesture. "Nice to meet you too, Edogawa-kun. Let me thank you again for keeping my sister company today and for finding that pencil topper. She can be a ditz sometimes." At the corner of her eye, she could see Haruna pout for real upon the mention of the ditz part.

"I-it was really nothing," Conan replied modestly.

Just then, a female voice calls the boy's attention, a voice awfully familiar to Hanae. Conan spoiled her suspense right away though, responding dearly to his "Ran-neechan" as she joins them. She found it quite ironic though, that this boy's closely related to Ran of all people. "Did I keep you waiting, Conan-kun?"

"Nope, I just got here, actually." The politeness in the boy's tone taken up a notch.

Ran then turns her attention to the rest of the party, recognizing Hanae's multiracial features instantly from the thousands of portraits and names shuffled liberally in her memory. "Ishihara-san! Its been a long time since we last talked," Ran exclaims. The last time they really mingled with each other was in their junior year in middle school. They've been sections apart ever since, leading such diverging lives up until this point.

"It is. You look well, Mouri-san." Hanae already forgot about Ran granting her the first name permission. What she didn't forget was the question she had been dying to ask the Karate club member out of sheer curiosity. "By the way, how's Kudou-kun? I haven't heard any news about him since he suddenly showed up in school after being absent for so long. Did he transfer schools or something?" In retrospect, maybe it was to Hanae's benefit that her bond with Shinichi didn't develop. She could imagine how tough it must be for Ran, and yet, just as she was years ago, it doesn't show. Her respect and admiration for Ran grew there and then.

"Errr... You could say that," Ran answered reluctantly.

"_Technically, I did transfer... At Teitan Elementary,_" Conan told himself, smiling ruefully on the side.

Refusing to poke Hanae's curiosity further, Ran draws the conversation towards the little girl who took cover behind Hanae's skirt when they started talking. "Is she your sister?"

Bothered that her sister's beginning to regress soon after taking such a huge step, Hanae boosts her up front. "Yes, she is." Haruna wanted to protest, but Hanae widened her eyes sternly at her while whispering "just say hi". While Haruna's shyness towards her elders adds a lot to her cuteness, its still very unnerving, not to mention rude for some.

"H-hello... I'm... I'm Haruna... N-nice to meet you," she stammers, eyes drooped down Ran's shoes.

"Nice to meet you too, Haruna-chan. My name's Ran. You can call me neechan if you like," she cheerfully replies, crouching down to meet the child on level ground. Seeing this reminded Hanae of the time she started pestering her, resorting to such unnecessary lengths just to make someone feel better.

"Still silly as ever," Hanae thought wryly. It didn't come to her as a big surprise when Haruna eventually warmed up to Ran's approach. "What about him? Is he your brother?" she returned the question.

"No, but we're taking care of him," Ran said briefly, standing up and turning her attention back at Hanae.

While the two high school girls tried to rekindle their ties that never really had a chance to develop before, Sonoko emerges from behind Ran, quickly setting her sights on the little girl like a journalist who just found a prospective scoop for tomorrow's headline. "Oi, Ran. Who's that? The four-eyed brat's new girlfriend?"

"_Why, you,_" the boy in specs thought with annoyance. Ran promptly clarifies the issue, much to the heiress's dismay.

"Anyway, we should get going now. We still need to drop by the marketplace," Hanae said, somewhat alarmed at the prospect of becoming the topic of Sonoko's scrutiny. It was true anyway, that she was supposed to do some shopping for dinner after her class.

"I see. We should probably catch up soon. Say, over karaoke? Better yet, why don't you drop by the agency sometime, bring Haruna-chan over so she can play with Conan-kun and his friends," the famous detective's daughter offers.

"Karaoke sounds good, but I'd rather pass on the home visit. I'm not really liking the rumors about your dad being cursed or something." Ran and Conan just laughed dryly at her comment.

While her sister said her goodbyes to Conan, Hanae gratefully accepted Ran's offer to trade numbers so they could at least mail each other and maybe plan that karaoke trip. She kind of regretted not giving Ran the chance to get close to her before due to her short-mindedness, but she hopes it wasn't too late to rectify that now. In some way, this was her own social hurdle for the day, and she wasn't about to lose to her sister.

Finally, after a parting wave from Haruna to her schoolmate and the young lady he's with, the Ishihara took their leave, conferring about what to have for dinner until they disappeared from the three's range.

"She sure has changed a lot, hasn't she," says Sonoko as soon as they were out of sight, certain of the event Ran was reminded of by the chance encounter.

"Huh?" Ran ponders about her friend's remark, but ultimately gave her the confounded look. "I don't think she's any different from how I remember her."

"Seriously, Ran... You're always waaaay behind the loop. She's like the culinary club's hidden gem now. I know at least three guys who have a serious crush on her IN OUR CLASS ALONE! None of them have confessed so far though. They're scared she might reject them because she's too busy taking care of things at home to have a boyfriend."

"Really? I haven't heard anything about that until now."

"That's because you're always so busy chasing murderers around. Just look at her. She's pretty, though not up to our league yet, she's got this quiet-but-kind charm now which is a lot more attractive than the way she used to be, and she's got good grades too for someone who does lots of chores at home. But most of all, she's got awesome cooking skills! You should have tried the bite-size baked potato their club sold at the last cultural festival! I swear, she cooks way better than some caterers I've tried!"

"Errr... I was on a diet that time, remember?"

"_Hmmm... Come to think of it, Tonooka had a crush on Ishihara too, that's why he kept asking the manager to invite her to our practices and games to impress her,_" Conan fondly recalled. "_Too bad, he got so nervous each time she's there to watch and it went completely the other way around._"

"I'm surprised you still know a lot about her, to think you hated her so much back then," comments Ran, somewhat amused.

"Well, I have to admit, she's a lot nicer now, plus the club lets me try the stuff they cook sometimes." Sonoko proudly stated the latter part as if she were a respected critic when it comes to food. She does have the dining experience to back it up to a certain extent though. "But when she was still a piece of work and tried to slap you, I really wanted to slap her myself if only you weren't going to stop me!"

Feeling the urgency to stay in character, Conan inserts himself in the discussion, looking innocently at Ran. "You had a quarrel before?"

"Yes, but it was kinda my fault," she answered, making a sheepishly guilty face, but adds reassuringly "we made up the next day".

"Come to think of it," Sonoko reclaims her best friend's attention, "you two resolved your issue a lot quicker than we all expected. Did some miracle happen that changed her the day after?"

"Actually, there was just a slight misunderstanding. Shinichi talked to her during their soccer practice and helped clear it up."

"Oh, really? That mystery nerd talked her into apologizing to you? And here I thought he didn't wanna get involved!"

"_Can you blame me?_" the little sleuth thought in response. He could still remember how worried Ran was about Ishihara when she heard of the divorce, and how downcast Ran's face was that day when he saw her cleaning Ishihara's desk. He'd be lying horribly if he said he didn't talk to Ishihara afterwards for Ran's sake, even worse if he said his heart didn't beat so fast when he heard Ran's thankful voice as he told her the good news in the evening, and how happy she was when they talked about having a group lunch the following day. "_But no, it was Ishihara herself who made that miracle happen. If anything, I just gave her the nudge she needed._"

"That reminds me, we're supposed to do our own shopping today," Ran informs, halting the flashback for now. "You wanna come, Sonoko?"

"I'll pass. I have a video chat with Makoto-kun at six and I still have to freshen up, so... Later then." Almost as quickly as the sisters did, Sonoko absconded for her own appointment, leaving Ran and Conan to themselves as always.

"So... Let's go?" Ran offers to take the little detective's hand. Even though holding hands has become a common thing for them nowadays, he still blushes whenever she delightedly takes the initiative.

"Okay," Conan replied giddily, taking hold of Ran's tender palms as soon as he was able to fend off his hormones. Exiting Teitan High's premises, he looked over his shoulder towards the direction the sisters went for one last time. "You've come a long way, Ishihara," he said to himself in parting.

"Ishihara? Are you talking about Haruna-chan?"

"Ah, yeah... Sort of... Heh heh..."

* * *

The End.

written by akaisherry47


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